Summer Island: A Novel

Summer Island is a beautiful and memorable story of family, love, loss and forgiveness. It is a touching and emotional family saga that tore at my heart. Hannah does it again with this stirring and heartbreaking family saga. It details how important one’s upbringing is to one’s health and emotional wellbeing. I highly recommend this lovely and emotional read.

I love Kristin Hannah - she is masterful at showing us relationships, especially strong female ones. When I read that Summer Island was about a mother-daughter who struggle to mend what got broken, I thought for sure this book was for me. In ways it was, in others, meh, not so much. As with all Hannah's writing it is undeniably flawless. Strong, visual usage of phrasing brings the reader directly into the story. Summer Island is no exception. When Nora Bridge walks out of her life, she leaves behind not only her husband, but her daughters, Caroline and Ruby. As the years go by, Caro's heart softens toward her estranged mother while Ruby's hardens. But when Nora, who has found fame as a marriage and family adviser on a radio show and in print, falls from public grace, she is forced to seek care and comfort with Ruby at home on Summer Island. While back on the Island, Ruby not only needs to learn to navigate what's left of her relationship with Nora, but also try to rebuild the bonds with her childhood friend and boyfriend, while figuring out how far she is willing to go to for her own fame. Perhaps it's because I've read a lot of Kristin Hannah's hard hitting books, the ones that rip your heart out while opening your eyes and then rebuilds you one fragment at a time, that this book was just mediocre. There is nothing wrong with the book, all loose ends are tied up, all relationships (shy of one that was unfortunately more of a throw-in than an actual relationship) are mended, and life ended HEA (which to me is just not realistic). In all honesty I would give this book a 3.5, but am rounding up because of my love for the author and the memories of her other books. If you aren't a long-time reader of Kristin Hannah, you will likely find this book quite good.

What can I say other then Kristen Hannah is a great writer. Buy her books here on Amazon. Great price. Fast delivery.

I enjoyed this book very much. It was a true Kristin Hannah book. It was interesting to follow Ruby’s life changes along with her mother’s life.

It was a good read but this must have been one of Kristin’s early books. It lacks a lot of the nuances, twists and turns which make current books so mesmerizing.

Summer Island is a beautifully written exploration of fractured relationships, forgiveness, and the long road to healing. Kristin Hannah brings her signature emotional depth to this mother-daughter story, weaving in themes of regret, vulnerability, and rediscovered love. I really appreciated how raw and honest the characters felt—flawed but relatable. The setting added a lovely layer of warmth and nostalgia, giving space for reflection and growth. While some plot points were a bit predictable and the pacing lagged in a few places, the emotional payoff was well worth it. This isn’t my favorite Kristin Hannah novel, but it still carried that familiar mix of heartache and hope that she does so well. A solid 4 stars and a moving summer read that leaves you thinking about second chances and the power of forgiveness.

Enjoyable book

Love her books. Didn't disappoint

Warum darf man nicht nur Sterne vergeben? Ein sehr gefühlvoller Roman. Zentrales Thema ist die Mutter-Tochter Beziehung. Je Fa.geschichte ist tiefgründig erzählt. Gute Unterhaltung.

Amazing and emotional. Every one of Kristin Hannah’s books have been totally wonderful. I look forward to the next one!

The storyline is good and I enjoyed the book but Hannah draws out the story so far as to make it boring. On more than one occasion I debated leaving it and starting a new book. It just dragged too much.

Wonderful, remarkable story. Hard hitting and powerful but at the same very tender. Kristin Hannah never disappoints with her books. Can’t wait for the next one.

This was an incredible story. I loved it from start to finish. I had shed some tears along the way. I highly recommend this novel. It will touch your heart.